On a scale of 1 to 10 how motivated are you to do some type of activity / exercise / workout on any given day? 1 = Every fiber of my being does not want to go do it, 10 = I can’t wait!
If you find yourself on the lower end of the motivation scale (less than 5) – what if you had a friend, relative, or colleague that invited you to join them in an activity? Would that needle move a little bit? Would you be more tempted to say yes?
I know that when I invite a friend to go for a walk or meet at an exercise class they are always glad for the invitation and often say that they wouldn’t have done anything that day if we hadn’t put it on our calendars. That’s why I love The Buddy System for activity and exercise!
There are actually several things happening at the same when you implement the Buddy System. First, you are planning because you need to put the activity on your schedule. Next, you are being held accountable to each other which will improve your consistency. And finally, you are getting even more positive energy by having a social interaction in addition to activity!
As you may have guessed I tend to be the initiator and more accountable person for many of my friends, so when you are looking for a buddy and you are low on the motivation scale, you will want to select someone that is a little higher on the scale than you are. Otherwise you both will be more likely cave if you say you don’t feel like going, or they suggest getting ice cream instead of attending yoga.
Pay attention to your co-workers and friends when they talk about what they do; if someone says that they walk every day at lunch, ask if you can join them! You may find out that there is pick-up basketball game on the weekends that you can attend. You will not be intruding, people love to help others and if they are helping you reach your fitness goals it’s a Win-Win!
If you decided to join a gym at the start of this year, or are ‘getting back’ I encourage you to find a fitness class and go to the same one for several weeks. If you prefer working out with weights or the treadmill, find something, maybe a 15 minute abs class or a stretching class. You want to become a regular at a class and then you will get to know other people in the class as well as the instructor. Those people will then help keep you accountable simply by saying, “Hey, will you be here for class tomorrow?” Once you get to know a few people then you can try other classes or schedule a time to meet and work out together. It doesn’t matter if you don’t do the same workout, it is the process of scheduling your activity.
If you are a dog owner make sure your dog is your #1 walking Buddy! Schedule your walks; dogs love the routine and it will keep you on track!
My answer to The Buddy System is that I started a Meet Up Group! Living Healthy is Fun!
Health & Bliss to You,
Susie